Alerts
Warning: 'Brayles Solicitors' and an associated website
20 March 2024
A website at 'www.brayles.com' is operating and falsely claiming to be for a law firm called ‘Brayles Solicitors’.
What is the scam?
The SRA has seen a website at 'www.brayles.com' which is operating and falsely claiming to be for a law firm called 'Brayles Solicitors'.
The SRA does not authorise and regulate a law firm called 'Brayles Solicitors'.
The website misuses images of some genuine solicitors (see below).
The website also misuses the SRA ID of a genuine solicitor (see below).
The website provides the email address of 'getintouch@brayles.com', a telephone number of '08458 600858' and a claimed address of '30 St Mary Axe, London EC31 8EP'.
The website lists various people it claims to be partners or solicitors at the firm. Some of these misuse the names of genuine solicitors (see below). Others listed as 'partners' or solicitors are named as 'Oliver Wardle', 'Teresa Fidling', 'Christopher Poole', James Malone, 'Laura Holmes', 'Elena Wilson', 'Adam Andrews', 'Russell Parker', 'Rachael Galvin', 'Amber Harrison' and 'Samaira Akhtar'. The SRA does not currently authorise and regulate individual solicitors of these names.
Any business or transaction through a firm called 'Brayles Solicitors' or the website, email address or telephone number listed above is not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.
Is there a genuine firm or person?
The SRA has been informed that some of the photographs used on the website are photographs of genuine solicitors employed by the genuine firm of Taylor Walton Solicitors.
The genuine firm of Taylor Walton Solicitors has confirmed that neither the firm or its solicitors have any genuine connection with the above website.
The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor called Joshua Nicholas Warner, whose SRA ID is 472801. The genuine Joshua Nicholas Warner has confirmed he has no connection with the above website.
The SRA authorises and/or regulates genuine solicitors called Jonathan Cooper, Andrew Powell, Sarah Murphy, Bethany Atkinson, Elizabeth Pearson and Adele Walker, none of whom are believed to be connected with the above website.
What should I do?
When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means. You can contact the SRA to find out if individuals or firms are regulated and authorised by the SRA and verify an individual's or firm's practising details. Other verification methods, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.